lick

The act of moving a tongue linearly against something. This is typically done to gather part of something in order to determine taste. Other reasons to lick include: moistening something such as with stamps and envelopes, providing pleasurable sensations to skin, and to gross someone out.

To lick the dust, to be slain; to fall in battle. "His enemies shall lick the dust." Ps. lxxii. 9. -- To lick into shape, to give proper form to; -- from a notion that the bear's cubs are born shapeless and subsequently formed by licking. Hudibras. -- To lick the spittle of, to fawn upon. South. -- To lick up, to take all of by licking; to devour; to consume entirely. Shak. Num. xxii. 4.

A quick and careless application of anything, as if by a stroke of the tongue, or of something which acts like a tongue; as, to put on colors with a lick of the brush. Also, a small quantity of any substance so applied.

[Colloq.]

A lick of court white wash.
Gray.

3.

A place where salt is found on the surface of the earth, to which wild animals resort to lick it up; -- often, but not always, near salt springs.